Mr Peachey told the hearing in Stratford-Upon-Avon: “She was not walking in a straight line. She was tottering. I kept thinking should I go back? One of the reasons I did not go back is because I thought someone would see me and think I was trying to abduct her.”

The young girl’s body was later found in a garden pond.

The Warwickshire coroner, Michael Coker, referred to Mr Peachey’s decision during his summing up of the case.

He said: “This is perhaps a sad reflection on our society but you may well understand the circumstances.'”

:: A supply teacher was suspended after he gave a lift home to a stranded pupil.

Martin Davis thought he was doing a good turn by dropping off the 17 year-old boy, who had forgotten his bus fare.

But a colleague at Tyne Metropolitan College in Newcastle told him he had been “stupid” for opening himself “to all sorts of allegations”.

“I said I was sorry and she just told me not to do it again, and that seemed to be the end of the matter.”

But Mr Davis, who provided support to children with dyslexia at the school, was then called by the temping agency through which he was employed and told he had committed gross misconduct.

He was suspended without pay and told he could not work while under investigation.

The long-serving supply teacher said after the incident last November: “I spoke to the class tutor and she was devastated. I also spoke to the boy in question to say goodbye and he was upset and angry about what was happening because he said I had been a great help to him.”

The school said at the time: “We place the utmost importance on the safeguarding of students and have clear procedures about transport arrangements.”

Mr Davis, 59, was later cleared of wrong-doing but has struggled to find work since.